Worship For Dummies: A Wiseman's Guide Series

--God has placed you in this century, in this country, in this state, in this

county, in your family and in this body of believers!

--Why? TO USE YOUR GIFTS!

Ephesians 2:10

“10For we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.”

--You are exactly where you need to be!

Each person was created to do different things in this life. I was created to be in full time ministry. I couldn’t do anything else! We are God’s piece of art! Designed to do exactly what God wants us to do! God wants you to use your gift to the full extent possible!

ILLUSTRATION: puzzle piece. Each piece of the puzzle was created to fit EXACTLY where it was meant to be. It was cut, crafted, and shaped to fit in one place and one place alone. What would happen if that puzzle piece wasn’t used as it was meant to? The big picture would be incomplete!

You have been cut, crafted, and shaped to fit God’s divine purposes in this life. What happens if you don’t use your gifts and talents as God has designed? The big picture won’t be complete!

You are right where God wants you…but there’s another question:

B. What will you do with where your led? JONAH vs. PAUL

The Bible gives clear examples of those who followed where they were being led and those who chose to go their own way. Probably the two most familiar stories concerning this is JONAH and PAUL.

JONAH: Jonah 1

God was leading Jonah to Nineveh. Where did he end up? In the belly of a fish. Why? Because Jonah didn’t want to do what God had asked him to do! He eventually went to Nineveh.

PAUL: May I remind you of the Apostle Paul in Acts 9? Paul on the road to Damascus: Jesus showed up and told Paul exactly where to go. Paul of course listened and he reached a countless number of Gentiles!

--I wish Jesus would make it THAT obvious to me how I’m to use my

spiritual gifts.

ILLUSTRATION: Erwin McManus speaks of seizing your divine moment. He says that each day, events unfold that are God ordained. In other words, God places people in your life that He wants you to impact. Will make the most of each and every opportunity that God chooses to place in our path or will we simply shrug it off as coincidence?

JESUS PLACES YOU EXACTLY WHERE HE WANTS YOU SO THAT YOU CAN USE YOUR GIFTS AS WORSHIP!

Let’s read verse 6 of our text:

VERSE 6: “There are different kinds of working, but the same God works all of them in all men.”

TRUTH #3

3. God gives the results (if you use your gift!) (vs. 6)

A. God is the great giver of blessings!

When you are faithful to use your gift to worship God, He will faithfully follow through with results! Those results may vary. But one thing you can be sure of, when you use your gifts to serve others, you haven’t wasted your time or your efforts. God “will work all things together for Good!”

Listen to what Paul write in 1st Cor. 3:6...

1 Cor. 3:6

I planted the seed, Apollos watered it, but God made it grow.

--God is the one who provides the results! That makes your job easy! All you have to do is show up to do what you were created to do!